Article contributed by Kelly Patey, a stay-at-home mom, who loves spending time in the kitchen with her family.
When she is not busy cooking or baking, Kelly manages a website called Mom’s
Kitchen Gadgets that is dedicated to helping Mom’s find
unique kitchen gadgets for their home.

When the temperatures begin to soar, few
desserts are as tempting and tasty as a frozen treat. Whether you prefer the
creamy goodness of ice cream atop a crunchy sugary cone or the refreshing
flavors of a fruit sorbet nestled elegantly in a martini glass, an icy dessert
is a decadent summer indulgence.

One of the best ways to enjoy your favorite
chilled dessert is to make it yourself using an Electric Ice Cream Maker. These
handy kitchen appliances are convenient, affordable and very easy to use.

The Main Components of an Electric Ice Cream Machine
from Top to Bottom:

Spout -
The hole in the top of the lid that allows you to add extra ingredients like
nuts, cookies, or chunks of fresh fruit to your frozen dessert during the
last several minutes of mixing.

Lid -
Fits securely on top of the freezer bowl and snaps easily into place.

Freezer Bowl
- The shell of the freezer bowl is made up of two layers of insulated
material with a specially formulated cooling liquid in between. When this
liquid is fully frozen and the freezer bowl is rotating within the machine,
it turns a wet mixture into ice cream or sorbet.

Base -
Where the powerful motor is housed as well as storage for the electrical
cord.

Controls
- Most models only have an on/off dial located on the front of the base.

Non Slip Feet
– Located on the bottom of the base to keep the machine securely in place on
your counter top.

How to Use an Electric Ice Cream Maker in Your
Kitchen

Using an ice cream maker in your kitchen is
actually very easy. Here are the basic steps:

• Wrap the ice cream maker bowl in a
plastic bag and put it in the freezer until the cooling liquid is completely
frozen – about 10-22 hours. The plastic bag will help protect the bowl from
freezer burn.

• Once the bowl is completely frozen and
you are ready to make a frozen dessert, quickly place the freezer bowl into
the machine

• Add the dasher (paddle) to the inside of
the freezer bowl. In most models the dasher floats inside the bowl and does
not attach to the machine.

• Most components of the ice cream maker
are not dishwasher safe. Hand wash only in warm soapy water.

Benefits of Using an Electric Ice Cream Maker

There are countless benefits to making your own
ice cream, sorbets and granitas. Here are just a few:

• Save money on buying store-bought treats.

• The variety of flavors and flavor
combinations are endless. It is easy to convert your favorite ice cream
recipes to use in an Electric Ice Cream Maker. Check out some delicious
Ice Cream
and Sorbet recipes: